diff --git a/tests/test_assets.py b/tests/test_assets.py
index b6fd04b7..6038968e 100644
--- a/tests/test_assets.py
+++ b/tests/test_assets.py
@@ -233,15 +233,30 @@ class AssetTestCase(TestCase):
 
 
 class TestFuture(TestCase):
-    future = Future(
-        2468,
-        symbol='OMH15',
-        root_symbol='OM',
-        notice_date=pd.Timestamp('2014-01-20', tz='UTC'),
-        expiration_date=pd.Timestamp('2014-02-20', tz='UTC'),
-        auto_close_date=pd.Timestamp('2014-01-18', tz='UTC'),
-        contract_multiplier=500
-    )
+
+    @classmethod
+    def setUpClass(cls):
+        cls.future = Future(
+            2468,
+            symbol='OMH15',
+            root_symbol='OM',
+            notice_date=pd.Timestamp('2014-01-20', tz='UTC'),
+            expiration_date=pd.Timestamp('2014-02-20', tz='UTC'),
+            auto_close_date=pd.Timestamp('2014-01-18', tz='UTC'),
+            contract_multiplier=500
+        )
+        cls.future2 = Future(
+            0,
+            symbol='CLG06',
+            root_symbol='CL',
+            start_date=pd.Timestamp('2005-12-01', tz='UTC'),
+            notice_date=pd.Timestamp('2005-12-20', tz='UTC'),
+            expiration_date=pd.Timestamp('2006-01-20', tz='UTC')
+        )
+        env = TradingEnvironment()
+        env.write_data(futures_identifiers=[TestFuture.future,
+                                            TestFuture.future2])
+        cls.asset_finder = env.asset_finder
 
     def test_str(self):
         strd = self.future.__str__()
@@ -280,6 +295,41 @@ class TestFuture(TestCase):
     def test_root_symbol(self):
         self.assertEqual('OM', self.future.root_symbol)
 
+    def test_lookup_future_symbol(self):
+        """
+        Test the lookup_future_symbol method.
+        """
+        om = TestFuture.asset_finder.lookup_future_symbol('OMH15')
+        self.assertEqual(om.sid, 2468)
+        self.assertEqual(om.symbol, 'OMH15')
+        self.assertEqual(om.root_symbol, 'OM')
+        self.assertEqual(om.notice_date, pd.Timestamp('2014-01-20', tz='UTC'))
+        self.assertEqual(om.expiration_date,
+                         pd.Timestamp('2014-02-20', tz='UTC'))
+        self.assertEqual(om.auto_close_date,
+                         pd.Timestamp('2014-01-18', tz='UTC'))
+
+        cl = TestFuture.asset_finder.lookup_future_symbol('CLG06')
+        self.assertEqual(cl.sid, 0)
+        self.assertEqual(cl.symbol, 'CLG06')
+        self.assertEqual(cl.root_symbol, 'CL')
+        self.assertEqual(cl.start_date, pd.Timestamp('2005-12-01', tz='UTC'))
+        self.assertEqual(cl.notice_date, pd.Timestamp('2005-12-20', tz='UTC'))
+        self.assertEqual(cl.expiration_date,
+                         pd.Timestamp('2006-01-20', tz='UTC'))
+
+        with self.assertRaises(SymbolNotFound):
+            TestFuture.asset_finder.lookup_future_symbol('')
+
+        with self.assertRaises(SymbolNotFound):
+            TestFuture.asset_finder.lookup_future_symbol('#&?!')
+
+        with self.assertRaises(SymbolNotFound):
+            TestFuture.asset_finder.lookup_future_symbol('FOOBAR')
+
+        with self.assertRaises(SymbolNotFound):
+            TestFuture.asset_finder.lookup_future_symbol('XXX99')
+
 
 class AssetFinderTestCase(TestCase):
 
@@ -599,10 +649,9 @@ class AssetFinderTestCase(TestCase):
                 'notice_date': pd.Timestamp('2015-11-16', tz='UTC'),
                 'start_date': pd.Timestamp('2015-05-14', tz='UTC')
             },
-            # Copy of the above future, but starts trading in August,
-            # so it isn't valid.
+            # Starts trading in August, so not valid.
             3: {
-                'symbol': 'ADF16',
+                'symbol': 'ADX16',
                 'root_symbol': 'AD',
                 'asset_type': 'future',
                 'notice_date': pd.Timestamp('2015-11-16', tz='UTC'),
diff --git a/zipline/assets/asset_writer.py b/zipline/assets/asset_writer.py
index 99ef87fe..5a730360 100644
--- a/zipline/assets/asset_writer.py
+++ b/zipline/assets/asset_writer.py
@@ -326,7 +326,7 @@ class AssetDBWriter(with_metaclass(ABCMeta)):
                 nullable=False,
                 primary_key=True,
             ),
-            sa.Column('symbol', sa.Text),
+            sa.Column('symbol', sa.Text, unique=True, index=True),
             sa.Column(
                 'root_symbol',
                 sa.Text,
diff --git a/zipline/assets/assets.py b/zipline/assets/assets.py
index a7ceb7af..108dc5e3 100644
--- a/zipline/assets/assets.py
+++ b/zipline/assets/assets.py
@@ -175,6 +175,10 @@ class AssetFinder(object):
     def _select_asset_by_sid(asset_tbl, sid):
         return sa.select([asset_tbl]).where(asset_tbl.c.sid == int(sid))
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def _select_asset_by_symbol(asset_tbl, symbol):
+        return sa.select([asset_tbl]).where(asset_tbl.c.symbol == symbol)
+
     def _retrieve_asset(self, sid, cache, asset_tbl, asset_type):
         try:
             return cache[sid]
@@ -297,6 +301,49 @@ class AssetFinder(object):
                     ))
                 )
 
+    def lookup_future_symbol(self, symbol):
+        """ Return the Future object for a given symbol.
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        symbol : str
+            The symbol of the desired contract.
+
+        Returns
+        -------
+        Future
+            A Future object.
+
+        Raises
+        ------
+        SymbolNotFound
+            Raised when no contract named 'symbol' is found.
+
+        """
+
+        data = self._select_asset_by_symbol(self.futures_contracts, symbol)\
+                   .execute().fetchone()
+
+        # If no data found, raise an exception
+        if not data:
+            raise SymbolNotFound(symbol=symbol)
+
+        # If we find a contract, check whether it's been cached
+        try:
+            return self._future_cache[data['sid']]
+        except KeyError:
+            pass
+
+        # Build the Future object from its parameters
+        data = dict(data.items())
+        _convert_asset_timestamp_fields(data)
+        future = Future(**data)
+
+        # Cache the Future object.
+        self._future_cache[data['sid']] = future
+
+        return future
+
     def lookup_future_chain(self, root_symbol, as_of_date, knowledge_date):
         """ Return the futures chain for a given root symbol.